First things first, Washington University Dermatologist, Lynn Cornelius, said anyone under 18 years old has no business using a tanning bed. In fact, she really doesn’t like tanning beds at all, and said they’re directly linked to higher rates of skin cancer.

“It’s very similar to smoking,” Cornelius said. “If you look at how the World Health Organization and how they classify artificial light from artificial devices, it is a group one carcinogen, which means it is the same as tobacco smoke.”